I began flying with human clients as a fill-in for their regular flight attendants when they needed time off. My reputation soon put me on a short list to serve amazing people including CEOs, Hollywood personalities, a Microsoft founder, an international philanthropist and even a producer who had probably seen other galaxies in his day. Some things are universal when it comes to serving high profile clients and my experience in commercial flying as well as observing and reading pets to anticipate their needs served me well. Yes, I said it, the mind set to serve animals and CEOs is remarkably similar.
Early on, when flying commercial, I had enough exposure to famous people to have lost the starry-eyed syndrome. When Walter Matthau was researching a role and helped me serve first class it was a lot of fun for both of us. I had help in the middle of the night on a crossword puzzle from James Earl Jones and welcomed President Jimmy Carter through a catering truck, all when I worked commercial. I learned some very important lessons.
Each of these people were individuals who just wanted to be normal. Finding the right note between respect for their accomplishments and allowing them to relax and feel comfortable was a skill I honed. I got a taste of what it felt like to have people watch you eat or think they are entitled to a part of you because you are there as a flight attendant, but these folks essentially could never take their uniform off. They had that attention 24/7 everywhere. It became my goal to give them refuge. The two things I could give those people that money could not buy were privacy and warm human caring. As a result, some helped me with crosswords and others asked me to help them learn how to serve a cabin. Just a few moments of normal.
In private aviation, you don’t just encounter someone briefly but you are immersed in their life for a period of time. That is an enormous responsibility. You sign on to protect their privacy and allow them personal space in a world where both are lacking. Attention to detail in accomplishing that mission is a necessity. When your guest arrives you never offer your hand, rather, you wait for them to introduce themselves to get the cue for how they prefer to be addressed. Of course you know when the president of a large tech company is boarding your flight and you know exactly who he/she is. By waiting for him to introduce himself, you can gather information on whether that person would even like to be engaged (they might just walk by) or how they like to be addressed. Most folks go by their first name because they want everything low key and they don’t want to be reminded that “the help” is there with someone referring to them as Mr. President of Tech Company. When speaking with other crew members anywhere, you just refer to this person as “The Boss,” so no names are ever dropped. Nobody off the aircraft should know who you are flying with and preferably, they won’t even know you are crew.
Once, we landed in Van Nuys and the paparazzi was literally hanging over the fence with cameras when we blocked in. We said our good-byes away from the door, and then kept busy inside the jet until all media had cleared. The last thing you need is the media getting a good handle on who you are and where you are staying. They will trail you to see when you shop for departure just to figure out when a target date is to be back at the FBO for more pictures. Every move you make must consider the privacy and security of your client.
I traveled to some amazing destinations with my extraordinary clients, some were truly fabulous and some eye-opening. I could never tell people where I was or who I was with. As a corporate flight attendant, you are very quiet on social media. I love photography too, and would share some wonderful shots from around the world… about 6 months after I had been there. Thinking a few steps ahead at all times to avoid disaster was critical. Just imagine where that picture goes when you post it. Another flight attendant that knows you well might be in bed catching up on social media on her iPad and notice out loud where you are. Her partner asks who I am, and she says: “Oh that’s Carol, she flies for XYZ.” The partner might unknowingly have quite an interest in XYZ, and now knows that XYZ is at an economic summit in Switzerland. That could proffer a lot of business information and conjecture that your client didn’t need or want. You always have to be mindful of possible ways you could violate your client’s privacy. I like to say when people ask pointed questions: “They call it a private jet for a reason… it’s private.”
Glaciers I have known
Over the years I met some people who touched me with their vulnerability and I hold those memories close. I felt honored when a particular actor who was catching a ride on my boss’s jet asked me simply where I was from, after sitting quietly for hours. I told him I was from Montana and a big smile spread across his face. I could see the warm memories flooding over him and then he decided to share his love for Montana with me and describe his most recent visit. By the time we finished talking, he had shown me pictures of his kids and himself enjoying the spectacular scenery surrounding my town and I had shown him pictures of how my “kid” played up there. Of course my kid was a dog, but I think it was probably one of the most normal experiences he could have on a jet and I was humbled that he felt comfortable enough to talk with me about something we both love. For a time, we were just two people having a warm conversation. It is the highest honor when your guest is completely comfortable and can get some time alone to decompress while in your care. That is doing your job right.
Our Montana
Another time I was warned that the guest joining us had a reputation for treating flight attendants badly. My pilots had personal experience with him making the plane take a tech stop and then leaving the flight attendant wherever they landed. Ouch.
I wasn’t deterred, but treated him with the same respect and consideration I would afford any new acquaintance. I largely left him alone, and he was gracious and even funny when we spoke. After eating, everyone settled in for some sleep. As I walked by during the night I noticed his blanket kicked off. I gathered it back up on his divan for him and one eye opened, he smiled and said thanks. He looked like a little kid that had just gotten tucked-in by Mom more than one of the largest producers in Hollywood. Powerful or not, it seems everyone would like to just be cared for. That’s a skill you can’t really learn, it’s a quality you bring to the job and is as necessary as thick skin when it comes to making the elite feel normal and comfortable.
I’ll share a few experiences to describe how working with the powerful and elite can be different from serving the masses. You may be disappointed because I don’t put names and faces on the experiences, but you know what they say…
It’s private!
Whitefish Dog and Home 